I really do think removing all of the interactive element without performing a total overhaul of the ride would be a mistake at this time. Duel is my favourite dark ride of its kind. However, it is far from my favourite interactive dark ride. Before going to Europe last week I would have said that interactive dark rides of this kind are awful, and the whole idea is a bit naff.
However, after now riding Buzz Lightyear's Laser Blast and Maus Au Chocolat I am willing to believe that the concept can be made to work. The problem with Duel I think is that it was a rushed and haphazard refit of a perfectly fine ride. They just went through and stuck targets everywhere with little or no thought. What these rides need is planning!
One of the biggest bugbears of the system is that there are so many targets and all in the wrong place. Part of the fun should be looking for the targets, and their zoning should be made so as not to interfere with the atmosphere and feel of the ride. With Due, thought a lot of the targets mean that some of the large scare props are seen long before they are triggered.
The way forward for Duel would be to drastically cut back on the number of targets (Already in progress) so there aren't so many. One target for each prop is plenty sufficient. Buzz only has targets on the important areas of each scene, and very few which are placed at random. I mean in Duel why on Earth do we spend half the time shooting window frames and pillars?! Granted, if something happened as a result it'd make more sense, but it doesn't!
Just take one target, maybe add some sort of theming to it like a target symbol at the centre, and stick one to each large prop. There are some instances when they could leave a few in. I.E. one on each leg of the giant spider. Or the two in the grim reaper's eyes. Ones like that work. But don't cake everything in them for the sake of it.
Next, if possible reverse the colours. The green is very bright and obvious. Maybe have the targets red and turn green when hit. Or even better disable to LED, place it in a crosshair as said earlier, and make the target glow in the dark. UV paints and acrylic is cheap enough to buy - £8 a can in B&Q. Then when it's hit it can flash red or green or yellow. This would make them much less obvious and more subtle. It would also add to the fun. The way riders have to look for targets to earn points, rather than being given them all.
Then, reposition the targets so they are only visible when an effect is triggered, and rearrange the new props slightly. For example, the zombie on the entrance to the spider room, drape a sliced black cloth between the two pillars. Then when he is triggered he bursts out from behind the cloth, giving riders more of a scare, and also hiding him until needed. The Haunted House worked well as this was how it was designed. But the Duel props were just plonked here and there, spoiling that.
Finally, though it would be more complex how about having a few effects triggered by the targets. For example, in the skeleton corridor add a lid to the coffin. Then when you shoot the coffin the lid burst open revealing the vampire inside, who also has a target. Then when she is hit the lid closes (It would also do this on its own after each scene, ready for the next vehicle) similararly maybe add an air cannon to the giant spider's mouth. When you hit the target on his head (Positioned so he can only be hit when in the right area) it fires off a few times, blasting the riders with short sharp bursts of air. It's a little change which would really emerse riders in the ride better.
There's lots of changes Towers and the ride team could make to Duel to revive the ride while retaining the interactive quality. As for marketing Towers could simply readvertise it as Duel - The Haunted House Strikes Back - Now scarier than ever. Simple, but effective. It gets the message to the public that there have been changes, and invites them to try it out. It could be a good project to run on a low investment year where money is tight. A cheap way to bring people back.
Once you have the winning ride the public will keep coming back to it, so Towers can continue with change year on year, without ever needing to market it again. Word of mouth spreads. How do you think Disney can keep updating their Phantom Manor rides without needing to advertise every change? The ride hit the nail on the head first time, so people keep returning. They then see the changes like the new Hitchhiking Ghosts in Florida, so come back next time to see if anything else has changed, while also telling their friends about this "awesome new part", which in turn draws in fresh custom.
If Towers are willing to fork out a bit of money now they can secure the ride's future for years to come
